Ave Maria
by occultkat
Summary: Now with easier to read smaller chapters. Who's the girl with a impossible mission and the sad blue eyes? I still hate summeris, just read it.
1. Chapter 1

You could hear it…Again and again…the same gun shot…Just ringing in your head…and when you see blood…you ask what you did…to live like that…

The outline of a hanging body was seen from the bell tower. Like always, it seems to ring as the corpse swung side to side. Maria smiled. It was always much easier to kill some one that wanted to die. She had offered him a quick death by knifepoint, but he refused, so she helped him tie the noose around his neck. He asked for a nice death. He had chosen the church, for that was were he met his young wife and where her funeral was held. He wanted to die, just like his wife did. Maria had only smiled and offered her assistance. Maria didn't look at this as murder, he wanted to die, and she just wanted help, that's all. She promised his neck would snap when he jumped.

"What a horrible miss-calculation." She said, as his eyes bulged out. It didn't matter that now he was suffocating. Just as long as he was dead…

"Just one more thing, Sir. Please, don't leave a mess in the church." She turned away. Laughing at fortune and misfortune, she skip down the steps to the streets.

"This is the third bar we've checked today! Are you sure he's in this one?" Meryl looked questioningly at Milly.

"I'm almost sure that Mr. Vash is in this one, honest Meryl." Milly pushed open the door. Meryl gave an exasperated sigh. Inside the bar was a girl, sitting on the floor of all places. It seemed that the bar tender was absent.

"Well, that's weird…" Meryl said. Milly looked around the bar.

"What's weird Meryl?"

Meryl clenched her fists. "This place, there isn't any one here!"

Milly laughed and pointed to young girl in the corner. "She's here." Milly waved her over. Reluctantly, the girl stood up and walked over to Milly's side. Meryl took one good look at the girl.

"Aren't you a minor? What are you doing here?" Milly patted Meryl on the back.

"You didn't even ask for her name and you're already chastising her. Lighten up Meryl, I'm sure she has a good excuse." The girl blushed.

"My name is Maria Ash Wood. I'm looking after here for the bar keep. He seems to have an unruly drunk out back…"

Meryl sighed. "Not again."

Maria stood next to Milly as Meryl chewed Vash out. It amused her to watch the woman shout and the poor man defend his self. If she believed there was such thing as a poor man. Maria twitched. Her week was coming to an end. These two seemed too lively to kill. Beside, it would be a waste of such a cute couple.

"What about you?" Maria looked up to Milly. "Where's your boyfriend?"

Milly went slightly red in face. Giggling nervously, she tried to reply. "Well, I really don't have one." Milly's blush intensified.

Meryl cleared her throat. "Are you referring that this loser is my boyfriend?"

The blonde boy looked hurt. "Why do you always call me such mean names? Didn't your parents teach you manners?" Meryl hit Vash on the head.

"Why you…!" They went at it again. Maria smiled. Yes, they are such a prefect couple, she thought to herself. No longer amused by their bickering, she turned to Milly again.

"So you don't have a boyfriend…what a pity…" Milly smiled.

"Well, to be honest, there is some one I like…" Her eyes shone with happy memories. Maria cringed.

"That's very nice to hear, who is the lucky man?" Meryl turned her head.

"Oh boy…Are you trying to get her started?" Milly clapped her hands.

"Oh, well, he loves children, just like me, and he even preaches the gospel to those in need."

Vash looked surprised. "Hey Meryl, is she talking about Wolf Wood?"

Meryl gritted her teeth. "No, she's talking about you! Of course she's talking about Wolf Wood!"

Vash gave a look of triumph. "I knew it!"

Maria looked at Milly; her eyes portrayed nothing of her thoughts.

"Hey, how come some one so young is asking so many question about love?" Meryl said after giving Vash one more blow to the head. Maria shook her head.

"I'm not that young…" Maria could feel her face burning. She was 22, but pale and underfed. She prayed it wouldn't be too obious. "And as for the questions, doesn't a girl have the right to dream in this forsaken planet?" No, I don't have the right to dream, she said to her self.

Milly gave Maria a bear hug. "Oh, children these days are so under appreciated. Of course you have a right to dream, but you should get out more. You look like you're dead."

Maria muttered under her breath, "I'm not a kid…honest."

The bar tender walked in from the back. "Thank you Miss Maria for looking after my shop while I restocked. As for you," He pointed a finger at Vash "If I say I'm out of drinks, I'm out, and please, for god's sake, don't try to help me find more." Meryl hid her face.

"But I've never heard of a bar that was out of drinks. I was certain that you just made a mistake, that's all." Vash hunched his shoulders in shame.

"I just can't believe you some times, Vash." Meryl squawked.

The bar tender went white in the face. "Vash…Vash the stampede Vash?" He stammered. Milly nodded and looked at the bar tender like he had asked a very obvious question. "Yep, the one and only Vash the stampede. The humanoid typhoon." The bar tender fled.

So, this blonde idiot was the great Vash.

"Why aren't you running?" Vash looked at Maria, slightly surprised at her presence.

"Would you like me to run, Mr. Vash?" She gave a sincere smile. You do not run from prey, even dangerous prey, the voice shot through her mind. Meryl griped Vash's arm.

"Hey, she can stay. Can't she?" Milly smiled as she asked.

"It would be nice if you stayed, Miss Maria." Meryl commented. "We don't get much company." Maria eyes shone in mocked excitement.

"That would be great! Where are you guys going, and maybe you could help me with something, if you don't mind, that is." Her voice was strained. If any one knew about this part time job she had,

there would be a rather rude awakening the next morning. Looking out for other Hunters near by. Deciding it was clear she pulled out a brown brief case. Opening it up, she gave each person a flier.

"I'm helping out the local churches. In these times when we have nothing to look forward too, at least we should have something to believe in." She nodded. If any thing was true about her, it was this. "Every one needs a solid foundation, and this is mine." She blinked away what might have been tears if she could cry.

"That's so noble of you!" Vash seemed to be weeping.

"Just like Mr. Wolf Wood!" Milly cried. Maria looked to Meryl.

"Did I say something to upset them?" Maria looked at them puzzled. Meryl shook her head.

"No, they're always like this."


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm so glad that you came with us, Maria." Milly said as they sped off one those big bird things. (AN: Oops, it seems I don't know their name, well, this is a work in progress so don't kill me. I will edit it when I find out what the heck they are.) Maria held on tight to Milly's waist. She disliked fast things. She always preferred to walk herself.

"If this things kills me, I'm going to be very upset." She whispered.

"Don't worry about it! It wont hurt if you fall off, trust me, I've done it before." For some reason, Maria didn't doubt it. Maria watched the neighboring bird. Saddled together, Meryl and Vash seemed to get along just find now, or maybe that was a precaution so Meryl wouldn't throw Vash off.

"Where are we going anyways?" Maria asked.

"No where really. I don't think we ever had a real destination. We just kind of go from one town to the next." Maria shook her head. It was the same with her.She just went to one town to the next. Hoping not to get a rep or get caught, she never stayed in one town for too long.

Milly pulled hard on the reins, stopping suddenly. Unprepared, Maria fell off the bird and rolled off a few feet away.

"Milly!" Meryl cried.

"I know that shadow." Maria followed Milly's eyes. A huge shadow of a cross fell upon her. Maria clutched the cross necklace she wore. Was this an omen? Maria eyes grew big in fear. She closed them; not wanting to see what hell beast would arrive to claim her.

"Hey! It's Wolf Wood!" Vash shouted. "Hey over here Wolf Wood!"

Maria opened her eyes and picked herself off the ground. A man with a large cross strapped to his back stood just beyond the horizon.

"So this is Mr. Wolf Wood you talk about so much. You have nice taste in men, Milly." She smiled a true smile, as far as looks go, he wasn't that bad. He quickened his pace to join the group.

"Hey girls. Traveling with Vash again? Don't you know that's bad for your health?" This man was defiantly one for religion; he even wore the dark preacher vest that would be quite uncomfortable in the hot sun. "I see you picked up another stray. You'd think that all you've been through with Vash you would know better." He pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"I am not a stray!" Vash and Maria replied angrily. Maria griped her necklace hard enough to cut right through her skin. Biting back a scream, she glared at Wolf Wood. I've changed my mind, Milly, you are free to live after all…you're mine Brother Wolf Wood, as her eyes spoke.

"I really wished he would kick that awful habit of his." Milly whispered to Maria.

"You should be more careful, Sister, those crosses are sharp." Maria looked down at her bleeding hand.

"You two are related? I knew it!" Vash gave another triumphant yell. Wolf Wood took a drag of his smoke.

"It's a church thing. I've never met this woman before." Milly grabbed Maria's hand and begun to wrap it.

"This is Maria Ash Wood, Mr. Wolf Wood."

"_There is a wolf in your flock, Abel."_

"_It doesn't matter. Wolves became dogs. So will she in the end."_

Maria felt dizzy. It must be the sun, she said to herself. She usually only travel by night. It had to be the heat getting to her. She leaned on Milly for support.

"Is there something wrong, Maria?" She forced her self away from Milly.

"I'm fine, it's just the heat." Milly helped Maria mount the bird.

"We're really close to the next town. Are you coming with us?" Meryl looked at Wolf Wood.

"Well, I have nothing better to do but follow two cute ladies, a goofball, and a sick kid, I might as well." Vash looked annoyed but relieved at the same time. Milly was just beaming in happiness.

"I'm not a kid…" She glared at the bleached sand below her

"That means we're going to have to make room for you some how. It was hard enough to fit Vash up here as it is."

Wolf Wood only yawned. "I'll just walk beside you young ladies, if you'll wait up for me that is." He dropped his butt and crushed it under his foot, and flashed a charming smile toward Milly.

"We don't mind, if we hurry, we'll be there before dark." Meryl said and Vash nodded. They left with out another word. They were right, it didn't take much longer to reach their destination. It had been a quiet ride. Maria was beginning to feel out of place. Just till he's dead, she thought, then I can leave them. She took a look at her bandage hand. I hurt my best hand because of you preacher, she thought scornfully. They rode up to the town's entrance. It was a small place, but it seemed to be full of happy people. They tethered their birds at the bar and walked inside. Maria hugged her brief case. Ignoring the group of people watching her, she slammed the case on the counter.

"People! I bring you hope!" She pulled out a flier. "On this piece of paper I give to you; has the location of all the churches on this planet. Please look one up nearest you!" Wolf Wood look shocked.

"That's my job, kid!" He stormed up to face Maria.

"I am not a kid!" She shouted this time, truly annoyed."And now, my assistant, Brother Wolf Wood, will gladly give you a confessional for a very low fee." His face went red.

"I am not you assistant! And I'm going to hurt you if you don't shut up!" Maria smiled viciously.

"What's the matter Wolf Wood? Mad that a 'kid' can do your job just as well as you?" Wolf Wood was fuming.

"Hey, street preachers should stay on the streets and stay out of our bars!" A man shouted.

"I'm sick and tired of hearing them." A second person shouted.

"Kick 'em out!" A third replied. The bar tender looked helplessly as a bar fight broke out. It was an old fashion brawl with fists only. The mob advance on Maria first. Not used to this kind of fighting, she backed away to the wall. There have never been so many people who wanted her hurt before. Terrified by the numbers, she cried for help. Wolf Wood leapt into the circle of men and then, one by one, he took them out.

Maria watched as the last man had fallen. She could feel a small pang of guilt within. The man she wanted dead had possibly saved her life.

"Do you always cause this much trouble, or is today a special occasion?" He asked, watching Maria's startled expression. She only shook her head and walked away.

By the end of the fight, the sun had set. Maria liked the coolness the night always brought. It was too bright and hot in the day to have any fun. A black cat sat on the bottom step. She reached for it but it only ran away.

"That's what I should do, run away before they know…" She held up her hand as a shield and looked at the bigger of the two moons. The town was quiet. News always traveled fast in small, nameless, towns like these. It must have gotten out that Vash and a couple of manic street preachers were here.

"Decided to get some fresh air?" Meryl appeared behind Maria. She could only nod.

"So, what going on in there?" Her voice sounded foreign in the night air.

"Well, Milly is yelling at Wolf Wood and Vash is trying to get a free drink from the bar tender." She sighed.

"And the people?" Meryl just shrugged.

"Well, a few woke up, took one look around, and then they did the smart thing and took the back door." She shuddered. Even if she was armed, she could never face that many people at once and hoped to live.

"It's kind of chili to night. How about we go back in? Don't worry, I think Wolf Wood has had enough today."

Maria took in a deep breath and walked back into the bar.

There were only a few people left on the floor. Vash leaned against the counter, a drink in one hand. Wolf Wood was nursing a bump Milly had given while she continued to yell. The bar keep only looked away when she entered. Maria closed her fist. Then stopped when she heard the fresh scab of her early wound break open. Upset about bleeding for the second time today, she hid her hand behind her back. The pain and the blood throbbed in her hand, and then slowly subsided. She looked at the imprint the blood made on her bandage.

It was shaped like a cross.

"When you see the cross, then you shall know that it is your turn to become a sacrificial offering to our god."

Maria stumbled toward Milly and Wolf Wood. Her hand was numb now but it didn't matter. She could still throw as well with her left hand. The pain that had been in her hand was now in her head.

"Kill him"

"Kill who?"

They seemed so far away in her blurry vision. She pulled herself along. The voice in her head would turn to a whisper, then shout, and then fade away to only return. It hurt to breath. What's happening to me? Her inner voice cried out. She was no longer in a room full of nice people. She watched, as Wolf Wood turned into a savaging beast, and in his jaws was Milly's head.

She pulled out her left side dagger and waved it in the air in front of Wolf Wood.

"What the hell are you?" Maria fell to her knees. "You ate Milly" She saw a flare of sliver and a sickening sound as she fell to the floor.

"Maria! What's wrong with her?" Milly raced to unconscious Maria side, her dagger falling away, barely missing falling right on tip of it's edge.

"You would think that she would have taken the anti-toxin by now." Wolf Wood lit up another cigarette.

"What do you mean?" Meryl ran over to Maria's other side. Maria shook with spasm of pain. She kept muttering about a wolf. Wolf Wood walked over and picked up her cross by the chain.

"The churches started making these to protect travelers, mainly women. The edge is coated in poison. A scratch could kill." He picked up her bloody hand. "And she's had more then a scratch's worth…" He pulled out a small vile. "Hold her up and open her mouth, then get her to drink this, but hear me out, when they start to hallucinate, it means they might be too far-gone. She seems to be at death's door…"

Milly didn't even bother to let him finish. She popped off the plug and poured the contents down Maria's throat.

"If you die, I'm going to be very upset…Please don't go…"

"Such fighting spirit you two have. You are your father's children after all. Maybe when you get older, you won't want to fight with you brother anymore." Maria's mother said as she put a band-aid on Maria's scratch. "You two should try to be more careful, it's all I ask." She patted Maria's head and sent her off.

"I'm coming…brother…"


	3. Chapter 3

Maria's eye flung opened. She coughed. Her body felt deprived of oxygen. She had the same dream again. In a way, she was glad it ended so quickly this time.

"My arm…" She looked down at her right arm. It was still there, yet, it didn't feel like it. "My arm!" She used her left arm to pick it up. A cross-shaped scar was etched into her palm. She let go and watched it fall limply at her side. "My arm!" Her mind went back to the recent events. It hurt to think but she pushed on. She wanted to kill a priest…He called her a stray…"I don't get it. My best arm, I don't get it." She forced her self out of bed. "Milly! Milly! Oh god, is Milly ok?" The last image she saw before the darkness flashed before her eyes.

"Milly's ok. You're the one you should be worried about." Vash sat backwards on a chair next to the bed. He looked tired. He must have been watching me last night, Maria thought. "You should get back in bed." Maria felt helpless and cornered. She meekly nodded and returned to her bed.

"You have a little explaining to do," He held out her two daggers, but was glad he didn't find the third one. "Like why a young lady, like yourself, is armed." Maria looked away.

"Doesn't a lady have a right to defend herself?" She heard a familiar chiming as Vash held up her cross necklace.

"And could you tell me a little about this?" Maria tried not to look at him when she spoke.

"A little boy gave me that. He said it would protect me on my trip." He held it out to her. She cringed slightly, and then took it from him.

"Did you know what it was for?" She looked at, confused by the question.

"Well, I figured that since it was sharp enough, it might have been for self-defense…" She looked at her little cross.

"Did you know it was poisoned?" She dropped it out of her hand and watched it clank to the floor.

"Poison? It could have killed me?" Vash frowned.

"So, who really gave you the cross?"

Maria shook her head. "I wasn't lying when I said a little boy gave it to me, but someone else gave it to him. He said a guy that was taking care of him. He said that he gave him that cross and he thought it was only right if I had it."

"May God's Angels watch over you, ok?" He smiled sweetly and she returned the smile.

"Ok, I promise, I'll take good care of myself." She opened the clasp and placed it on her neck.

"It looks pretty on you Sister Ash Wood. Come back her when you can, ok?" Maria eyes shone.

"I promise!" She waved good-bye and walked away.

"In December…it was in December…" Maria laid her head against the pillow. "I want to go back to little December." She yawned but was struggling to stay awake.

"Get some sleep, Miss Ash Wood." He yawned. "I could use some myself, to be honest."

"Ok, I promise." He closed the shutters and walked out of the room.

"She's doing fine Milly, and could you not pull one my arm like that?" Milly let go of Vash's arm.

"Sorry Mr. Vash, I was just so worried." Wolf Wood lit another cigarette.

"So, is she angry that we stopped her from suicide?" Vash shook his head.

"She didn't even know it was poisoned, and beside, she looked more willing to kill you then herself, you big scary wolf monster." Vash laughed as Wolf Wood threaten to strangle him.

"And I thought you said some weird things in your sleep, but then, it always about doughnuts so it gets really boring after the first few nights." He dropped the butt on the floor and crushed it, and lit another one

"What? That's not very funny Wolf Wood!" He only gave a stout puff of smoke as his response. "Hey Milly," Vash walked away from Wolf Wood and approached Milly. "I think she really likes you Milly. Once she got over the loss of her arm, her next thoughts were about you. She wanted to make sure the big scary wolf monster didn't eat you." Wolf Wood dropped his cigarette.

"I would not eat Milly!" Milly started laughing, followed by Meryl and Vash.

"Oh no! The big scary wolf monster in angry!" They sung in chorus.

"You guys better cut it out. You're going to wake her up." He pointed to the closed door to the room that Maria was sleeping in. Inside they could her a muffled sound what might have been crying.

"Oh dear, come on Milly. We'll keep an eye on her. You two play nice, and no more scary wolf monster stuff, ok Vash?" Meryl stood up and gave Vash a cold stare, and then she and Milly went to check up on Maria. Vash gave a small sigh of relief

"I thought she was going to hit me again." Wolf Wood watched the smoke coming from the floor. He stepped on it.

"Any thing else she said that you want to tell me?" Vash nodded.

"Yeah, that she got the cross from a kid in December. Isn't that where you're from?" Wolf Wood looked out the small window of the house. It had been very nice of the people who lived here to let them stay. It was a nice house with nice people. Although it was more likely the people cleared out from fear then kindness.

"Yeah, I'm from there and was probably one of my kids, but I never gave them the crosses, I thought they were too dangerous for children." He eyes widen behind his sunglasses.

"Is something the matter?" Vash watched Wolf Wood stand up and pace the floor.

"I'm just thinking, that when she wakes up again that we should leave and give those elderly people back their house." Sensing Wolf Wood's discomfort on the previous subject, he dropped and complemented on the nice house the folks kept.

"I was thinking about that too, but there just one more thing, should we leave Maria here? Milly will have a fit…" He stopped. Wolf Wood had stopped pacing as well. "Do you hear that?"

Milly held up Maria's right hand for Meryl to see. "She's lucky she only lost her arm."

Meryl started to trace the scar. "Well this is a nice scar, but it's kind of scary to think about it." Then she folded the arm on top of Maria's chest. "Milly, I think it's a good idea to leave her here, before she wakes up. The people here are really nice…Milly? Are you listening to me? Milly?" Meryl watched Milly pick up the cross up off the floor.

"Pretty things are dangerous too..." She tried to place the cross next to the daggers on the nightstand. Her hand stayed above the nightstand and held the cross up to the light. "What a pity…that is what she said when we first met her." Milly was on the verge of tears. She threw the cross as hard as she could. Leaving it stuck in the neighboring wall. "Do you hear that, Meryl?" They fell silent. A church bell was ringing.

"But it's a little late for Mass, isn't?" They raced out to the other room. The men had left already. "Damn it, what's going on here?" Meryl shouted. Then the town fell silent. They cautiously crept toward the window. A man wearing a dark robe and a Shepard's crook in his hand was facing the men outside. Wolf Wood had already removed his clothe on his cross gun. Vash saw the girls through the window. He made a quick gesture and mouthed a few words. "Get out of her and take Maria."

Meryl closed the shutters and had Milly retrieve Maria. "Things can't get worse, can they?" Meryl cried as they ran through the back door.

"You have some thing of mine." Said the man in the robe.

"Oh really? Like what?" Wolf Wood snarled.

He waved his crook in the air. "You have my offering, Sir. I would like her back."

Wolf Wood looked at him furiously. "Don't give me that religious bull shit." Vash looked confused.

"Is he talking about Maria?" Wolf Wood gritted his teeth.

"No, he's talking about the sheep we stole from him, Of course he is talking about Maria!"

The robed man smile, amused.

"This is a fight for men of God only. I hope you don't mind if I wish for

today for you to be out of this one, Vash the Stampede." Wolf Wood looked at Vash.

"Go check on the girls, Vash. This shouldn't take to long." Vash gave him a worried glance, then left.

"How dare you call yourself a man of God? You're probably some cult leader passing off as one! Using people like that is a one way ticket to hell, if we weren't all ready here." The man only smiled.

"Oh, I don't use little Maria. She's too smart to think that what I preach is true. She always was her daddy's kid. Too bad I killed him, huh?" Wolf Wood aimed his gun at him warningly.

"Who the hell are you, and what do you want?" The man removed the hood of his robe.

"I'm Abel the Shepard. You have one of my lambs. She's an awful naughty one. She loves to wonder off. One of the flock told me she has even been spreading the word of God instead of my word. What a naughty girl. I should just leave her to die, but I'm a forgiving man. Now, wolf, open your mouth and drop my lamb."

Wolf Wood fired a warning shot.

"This is sick! You don't get to treat people like that!" The bell sounded again.

"Oh look, I've run out of time. Master Legato is waiting for me. I will get my lamb back though." He turned away. Another shot was fired. Abel turned, a long blade extend from his crook. He sliced the air as the bullet fell harmlessly into two pieces. Wolf Wood stood fixed.

"That's impossible." He looked at Abel as he walked away.

"Not when you have God on your side." He laughed as he faded away from view.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey girls wait up!" Vash said as he caught up to Meryl and Milly. Maria was still out cold. She was draped over Milly's shoulder.

"Wow, that girl can sleep. I guess that's what happens when you don't sleep well for a week." Milly lifted Maria off her shoulders and handed her to Vash.

"Do you think you could wake her up?" He shook his head.

"I can try, but I don't think she wants to wake up." He leaned in close to her ear. "Maria, you don't have to wake up. You can stay in your dream world. I know it hurts when you get up in the morning, but you have something to live for, don't just dream your life away." He shook her lightly.

"Well, you're one to talk." Wolf Wood said as he joined the group.

"Well, that was a quick fight." Meryl said. Wolf Wood looked far away.

"There wasn't even a fight. He just talked nonsense, and left." He looked down at Maria. "I want some answers now." Vash looked at him strangely.

"She's still asleep. You'll have to wait till…" Wolf Wood tapped her head lightly. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Ok, Brother Wolf Wood. I'll tell you what you want to know." She brushed aside Vash's arms that tried to hold her back as she walked. Wolf Wood smiled.

"Don't worry Vash. She was faking her sleep in the first place." Maria's nod confirmed his statement. "Well, first I want to know who you are." She smiled.

"My name is Maria Ash Wood, but some call my Ave Maria." Meryl held on to Milly's shoulder. Milly seemed ready to kill some one, Wolf Wood or Maria, at this point it didn't matter.

"That's a good start. Whom do you work for?" Her good hand flinched, longing for a dagger to throw at him.

"Abel, I work for Abel." In need of something to hold, she picked up her right arm, and looked at the cross.

"Who is Abel?" Her body shakes at this question.

"He…He's the one of the head Hunter's in the Hunter's Guild. The guild's purpose is to beat the humanity out of you. You start out as a predator, and then you move up to hunter. After that, you become a gatherer and then a Shepard. Basically, they turn you into a beast and the try to see if you can become a man again. Each branch of the guild has a purpose. It used to be just about killing and robbing, but this new guy came, a man that can't be killed. Abel was convinced that he was a god, so he turned the guild into a cult. Not a lot has changed. We still have our assignments, but now, you get sacrificed…" She gasped for air. It was a horrible thing, to be sacrificed for a fake god.

"What's your assignment?" She looked at him with big eyes, yet he remained emotionless under his sunglasses.

"To kill three people a week." Milly let out a small cry. Maria lowered her head in shame. She didn't want to hurt Milly, not anymore.

"I wanted to kill you, Mr. Wolf Wood, as my third kill this week, but, I can't…I can't kill some one who keeps saving my life. You should have just let those thugs beat me, or let the poison kill me, I deserve to die."

"_I don't want to die!" She wailed. _

_He grinned. _

"_Then prove it, prove that your life is worth living." She lashed out at him. Her teeth sank into his arm. He flung her aside as her head hit the wall. Her vision blurred and left her, but she could still hear. _

"_Such fighting spirit. We should keep her as a pet." Abel said as he picked up little Maria by her shirt collar. _

"_You can't keep a wolf as a, brother."_

Vash's hand held on to Maria's shoulder firmly.

"Don't talk like that. You have something to live for, I know you do, I saw it in your eyes when we first met." She looked at his gloved hand.

"I want to avenge my family's death, and then I want to find my brother, and if I find him or not, I want to go back to December." Her breath came out funny. It felt good to say all of that. Vash looked far away.

"Knives has destroyed another life." Maria froze. She never heard of Knives but the name alone sent terror into her system. He must be the god Abel spoke about. Nothing else could ever make fear seem so real before, then just his name. She looked at her dead arm and saw that it too was quivering in fear. She swallowed hard.

"I have one day left. Abel was here just to warn me of worse to come." She looked to the east.

"What happens if that sun sets and no one is dead yet?" Vash ask solemnly. She felt something behind her eyes. Tears, she really could cry after all. In vain she tried to stop them, but soon she was over whelm with grief.

"I become an offering." She fell to her knees and wept.

Night was coming now, she could smell it. She wasn't looking forward to this night.

"I'm worthless…I really am. Dragging all these nice people into my life of shame." She looked to the suns. The longer I stare, the more likely I'll go blind, how long will it take to go blind? Her thoughts began to swim.

"You shouldn't stare at the sun. You'll go blind." Wolf Wood said as her came closer to Maria. "Ave Maria, that's a nice nick name. It's an even better song. Can you sing it?" She looked down at her feet.

"I can try…" She took in a deep breath. "Ave Maria." She paused. She thought back to long ago when her mother sang that song. "Maiden mild. Listen to the Maiden's pray. For thou canst hear a mid the wild." Her face grew hot. She didn't like to sing in public.

"We could use you back in December. Why were you in December in the first place?" A gentle breeze blew back her braided hair.

"Well, half of it was to get training from a guy who wasn't even there," Her eyes grew misty, "And the other half was to find my brother." It sounded like glass breaking every time she thought of it. She knew she was really close then. She could almost smell him. Her brother…was close always. She could always smell him.

"Tough luck, huh kid?" She glared at him.

"I'm not a kid, and beside, there is no such thing as luck." She flinched at the sound of her own voice. There is no such thing as luck, for me.

"So, how did you get messed up in this whole gang war?" He looked at her gently, but she refused to let her guard down.

"My dad, he became the sheriff of our town. This really pissed off Abel that one of his best buds turned into a lawful citizen. He came after us. He shot him first and then my mother. My brother, he hid me in the alleyway behind our house. I was so scared…"

"_Children, come out and play with Uncle Abel. It wont hurt you, I'll give a really quick death." Maria held on tight to her brother's arm. _

"_Quit it Maria, you're hurting me." His voice spoke of silent fury. Most of it directed at Abel then Maria. _

"_I'm scared brother. I don't want to die. Please brother!" He held her down firmly as she tried to run away. _

"_Stay here Maria. I'll come back for you. I promise. Just don't die on me, ok?" He sprung out of their hiding spot with out waiting for an answer_.

"Look, it's the older one." Kain pointed to his brother, a gleaming gun in his hand.

"_This one is mine, brother…" He aimed the weapon at him. _

"_No!" Maria screeched as she jumped out of hiding. _

"_Make it stop! Make it stop! Brother! Please make it stop!" She held up her little fist. "Just keep running brother. I won't die, I promised, remember?" Abel reached out and lowered his brother's gun. _

"_I like her, let me kill this one. We'll find the boy later." He walked up to Maria, a crook with a blade extended it from it in his hand. _

"_I don't want to die!" He smiled. _

"_Then prove it, prove that your life is worth living." She lashed out at him. Her teeth sank into his arm. He flung her aside as her head hit the wall. Her vision blurred and left her, but she could still hear. _

"_Such fighting spirit. We should keep her as a pet." Abel said as he picked up little Maria by her shirt collar. "You can't keep a wolf as a pet, brother." Kain said, holding his gun to her head. She kicked at him furiously. _

"_She isn't a wolf yet, she's just a pup. A dog. All they are are dogs and sheep." He dropped her. _

"_She's tough, like the sacred ash. That's how you beat a wolf. You beat it with an ash branch." He hit her with the crook. "Welcome to the Hunter's Guild, Maria Ash Wood."_

"Then I was beaten into submission. Some times, he would call me into his office just to beat me." She looked at the sinking sun.

"A wolf in sheep's clothing. You should think more of yourself, you're a force to be reckon with." She didn't want to look at him.

"Is that what they told you, Mr. Wolf Wood?" He smiled.

"You saw right through that one, didn't you?" She shook her head.

"No, it was quite solid. I don't need to see through something to know if it's true or not. It's in the eyes. You can see it in their eyes. Right before they die…" She pulled out her left-handed dagger.

"I only kill those who want to die. I want to die, do I count as a third kill?" She poised the dagger threatening over her heart. "The sad thing is, I don't really want to die. I just tell myself that to make things seem better. I should die; I should have died a long time ago. Brother isn't coming back. They probably just killed him after I blacked out. What do I have to live for, Brother Wolf Wood?" He didn't look at her.

"Ever tried living for yourself?" She shook her head.

"Things with out souls shouldn't live. I laughed every time I killed some one. I would probably laugh if I killed myself. I'm addicted to death. It's the only thing I know." He looked at the near by house where the others where staying in.

"You're addicted to life and love. You just don't want to admit it." He was right. Inside she knew she loved the people she had just travel with for a day or two. It was a nice feeling. Knowing some one cares and that you care back. It's nice to have a normal, carefree life. Just like Milly.

"If things would have been different, I probably would have been just like Milly. So innocent and full of knowledge too. Blissfully ignorant, that's how I want to live my life, and I want to help others. I want to pretend, even if it's not real, that every thing is fine. I want every thing to be fine." He nodded in approval.

"That's a nice dream. Don't forget it, ok?" Maria closed her hand tightly. Her head was bent. She wept for the second time that day.

"Ok, Mr. Wolf Wood, ok, I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

Dusk had settled like a dirty cover of night as the struggling day gave into the dark. The girls waited inside the house. Maria's instinct told her to run. Smelling fear was a lot like smelling blood in away. It was pleasing, but terrifying knowing that what comes with fear and blood, comes death.

"Milly, Meryl, you should leave…It's not safe. I don't want you two to get hurt because of me. I've already done enough to you guys already. I shouldn't harm you any more." Milly gave a huge smile as she hoisted up her stun gun.

"Nonsense, and beside, you might need to fire this thing, so some one has to do it, just in case." Maria turned to Meryl.

"Well, you can go then, right?" Milly nodded.

"Oh, yeah, and leave her here alone with them. They probably get her drunk and start playing strip poker again." Maria's eyes widen in shock.

"It that true?" Milly's face went bright red as Meryl laugh.

"Uh, girls, you should be quiet in there, there's some one coming." Together they peeked through the curtains. Some one was coming. He didn't wear the Shepard's robes that Abel did, but they looked quite similar.

"Kain…Vash, that isn't Abel. That's Kain, his brother. He can't fight too well, but he is the brain to Abel's bronzes." Maria shouted through the window plane. She then had to duck as the window shattered.

"I told Abel she would turn tail if left on her own." Wolf Wood pulled off the strap of his cross to revile his gun.

"Stop referring to her like she's an animal!" Kain smirked.

"But that's what humans are, just worthless animals, including myself and my brother. We are just animals to be slaughtered and sacrificed." Maria stomach knotted. Slaughtered was not one of her favorite words. Her eyes went to Milly for comfort. If I'm going to die, I want to see her happy…I want to be happy, just like her.

"Figures he wouldn't show in person, I thought it was the Shepard job to return the sheep." Wolf Wood looked very smug with his comment.

"I'm not a Shepard. I am the alter boy and after that, I'm the one who does the offerings. She had her chance to come back to the fold. We can't let a wolf live!" He fired a round of shots. All hit harmlessly next to the men.

"He can't see with out his glasses. Don't let him put them on. He hates his glasses though, so it's just a last resort." Maria gave a swift glance to Kain's pocket. "Other then that, he prefers luck to accuracy, but he's quick, and if he corners you. Consider yourself a dead man." Vash waved to Maria.

"Thanks Miss Ash Wood. You're a big help!" He smiled and ducked as another round was fired.

"Can't we just shoot him? He doesn't seem to be putting up a fight." Vash gave Wolf Wood a cold stare. Kain had a wicked grin on his face and dashed up to Vash's side.

"Sorry kid, I can see you now." He fired as Vash dived to the ground.

"That was close!" Vash cried as he covered his ears.

"Get up you baby! He's coming again!" Kain kicked Vash over.

"You shouldn't be worried about him, you're the one I want to kill. I've been wanting to kill you for a long time now, Nicholas D. Wolf Wood!" He fired at his feet. "Damn my poor eye sight. Where are my glasses? I should really wear them more often. I'm getting old really quick." He fumbled in his breast pocket. "Where are those damn things anyways?" He patted himself over.

"Looking for these?" Vash held up a pair of glasses.

"I'll be damned, you are a quick one. I should give you credit." He dropped his gun and held his hands high.

"You've out run me again, little wolf. I really wanted you dead but not at the cost of my own life. I'm too old to die like this." He looked faded inside and out.

"Dogs like you should be put down." Wolf Wood yelled as he aimed his gun.

"That's enough Wolf Wood. Well, now that we won, will you let Maria go?" Kain fell to his knees.

"I'm sorry, that really isn't up to me, ask Master Legato once he's through with her."

Maria's body froze. It no longer felt like her own body but a toy being pulled at the end of a string. Against her will, she leapt out of the broken window. Landing awkwardly on her knees, she started to walk toward them in a crawling pace. She couldn't find the strength to lift her head. As she walked, her head bobbed side to side. She looked for words. Yes, she could still speak. She was relieved at the one ability left and shouted.

"What happening to me?" Something was holding her back. She wished she could turn to look.

"Maria! Don't go out there! You're going to go get yourself killed!" Maria heart felt like breaking.

"Don't worry Milly, I'll be just fine. Mr. Vash wont let anything happen to me." Her words faltered as her body made another hard jerk toward Kain. Her left hand went for her dagger. She looked at it with large eyes.

"What are you going to make me do with this?" Her hand trembled. Kain watched her closely, a thin smile forming on his lips.

"That's right Maria. Kill him. Kill him!" Him could be anyone, she said to the force pulling her. Today, I want him to be Kain. If I have to kill some one, I want to kill Kain. She stood still. The drawing force had left her body.

"Now kill him, Maria." Kain shouted.

"Gladly." She said as she plunged the dagger into his heart.

"Well, that's my third kill this week. I guess I'm all done." Her eyes shone with hatred and pure fire.

"Master Legato…Why did you make her…?" He clutched at his wound.

"She has free will. I gave her a choice." Maria licked the blood clean. It tasted just like it smelled; of life and death.

"Master Legato…" Kain reached out toward Vash.

"Young man, can I have my glasses? I want to see her before _we_ die." Vash placed the glasses on his head.

"Now it's your turn, Maria. Turn it on yourself." She looked tired and worn out.

"Why would I do that, old man?" Her eyes were blank.

"Because I tell you too." Her hand wavered.

"What's going on?" She watched as the end pointed to her own heart. Kain thin smile widen it to a toothy grin.

"Didn't you know that to kill is a sin? Now you have to die…" Legato's voice spoke upon the wind, yet he wasn't in sight.

"I don't want to die!" She focused her energy at the control hand.

"You've said that before. I guess you were too careless to live." He pulled harder on her arm. She looked to her dead arm. It was no use; it wouldn't come to life just to defend her.

"Make it stop! Please! Please, Brother, make it stop, now!" She closed her eyes as the edge pierced her skin. Something touched her hand lightly while another presence held her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Sister. I wont let this happen again. Hold her down Milly." He tried to pull the dagger away. Her body jerked violently but Milly's hold was true.

"When you first called me brother, I was surprised. I didn't know anyone knew I had a sister. I just assumed her to be dead. I should have come back for you." He ruffled her hair with his other hand as he continued to pull.

"I knew it! They really are related!" Vash yelled proudly. Meryl push Vash toward Wolf Wood.

"Don't just stand there, help him!" Vash laid his hand upon Wolf Wood's while Meryl backed up Milly. Her hold on the dagger began to slip. She relaxed as she regained control of her own body.

"I'm ok…" She looked exhausted. I'm ok now. I found my brother. Her head rested on his shoulders. "Brother…is Milly going to be my sister someday?" He patted her head and looked at Milly.

"I'd have to be crazy first." Milly glared at him.

"That's not very nice Mr. Wolf Wood!" She laughed in her attempt to keep a straight face. Vash was crying in his usual happy way and Meryl only looked thoughtful. This is my family now, she thought as she laughed along with Milly.

"So you're leaving now." She looked down at her feet when he spoke.

"I know we just barely found each other, but I have job to do. I promised the church of December that I would hand out all these fliers, and you have your job too. We'll meet up at December when we're all done, ok? The children are waiting, I don't want to let them down." He handed her a smoke.

"You'll need this if you're going to put up with them." She snapped it in two.

"You should really quit smoking, it would make Milly so happy." He reached out for her right hand. He removed one of his crosses on his sleeves. He tied it to her palm and closed her fingers around it. Amazingly, they stayed closed around the cross.

"May God's angels be with you." She smiled sweetly, a copy much like the one Milly would always flash.

"Yeah, that's what they all say. Take care, Brother Wolf Wood." She waved and turned away. She could feel hot tears run down her face. They were mixed tears, some of joy, some of sorrow. "Tell Milly I'll come and visit her and Meryl and Vash too!" She kept waving, but never looked back.

You can never tell how time passes from day to day for happy people, and distraught people. Time slows and speeds at it's own pace. I cannot tell you how much time passed, but I can tell you time did in fact, pass, like always. (AN: But wouldn't it be cool if time suddenly stopped? Think of the panic! Think of the mayhem! Think of the fun!)

"Sister Maria, there is some one waiting for you." The priest said as he showed in a robed man. "I asked if he knew you and he said he knew you all too well, so I let him in, I hope you don't mind." Abel smiled as Maria went pale.

"Yes, Sir, I know this man. Thank you for showing him in. Tell the children I'll be right out, ok?" He bowed his head and closed the door behind him.

"Wow, you get lots of respect here, don't you?" She nodded.

"I'm the first person to officially come back from my mission alive. I had no idea the service was so dangerous, but I enjoyed ever minute of it. The priest said member numbers have nearly doubled. I'm happy that I can help so many people." He nodded almost reverently himself. He seemed rather subdued then usual. Age had worn many lines into his face and he stood bent and feeble. "Please sit down. You look like you need rest. We have guest rooms down the hall if you feel like it." He did not move. He just swayed from side to side in a dizzying waltz.

"So, this is what I was trying to beat out of you, the kindness and compassion that make humans so weak, but so unique, and so special. I'm here to…ask for forgiveness, Maria Wolf Wood. But it is all with a heavy heart, you killed my brother, and that I still look upon and ask why I made such a little girl do such horrible things. Knives isn't what I thought he was. He's going to kill us all, when he gets the chance…I didn't want to die with so many thoughts." He then took the chair she offered him. "Maria, you have to do some thing about Knives. He's hell bent on killing us all!" He was begging her, she thought. It didn't look right, the one she was always begging to was now begging to her.

"I'm sorry, but I promised my brother that when I returned to December that I would never go out for revenge." His hands knotted around his crook that now he used as a cane.

"That's why I'm here. I have news. Nicholas D. Wolf Wood is dead. Chapel the EverGreen killed him. He works for Master…former Master Legato…who works for Knives. I'm sorry…I really am sorry." His knuckles were turning white from the hard grip on his crook.

"Be at peace, give me the location of Chapel. Then rest, ok?" He looked up, his eyes feverish. He handed her a piece of paper.

"He's here…right here…I drew this for you. I thought it would help…" He laid his head on his hands. "I'm too old, or I would go with you." She looked at the paper. She knew this place too well to need a map.

"This is where the guild is." His voice sounded raspy.

"Yes, he took over right after Kain's death." She understood.

"Ave Maria is going to sing for one more performance." She picked up the frail man and placed him on her bed. Leaving the room, she went straight to the priest.

"Sir, I'm leaving. Please watch the kids. I'll try to be back. Watch after my guest. It's almost his time." She left with out a reply.

Maria walked to his desk without a word. Not bothering to face his opponent, he addressed her with callus.

"Coming to beg for forgiveness, Miss Ash Wood? Don't take it lightly, you did kill my best hunter…" He fell silent as the sound of a knife sunk deep into his desk.

"What was that, Sir? I couldn't hear you…and that's Wolf Wood now, didn't you know?" He gripped the arm of his chair but refused to turn around to look at her.

"Maria, you have so much to offer for our cause." She shook her head.

"Not our cause, your cause, even the other hunters are just your pawns, and you…Are just a puppet!" A second dagger imbedded it self into the desk.

"Yes little Maria, in the end, you were all just puppets…" The room fell quiet. Maria looked out the window that faced the west. It was always a beautiful sight. It was almost enough to make the beatings less painful. The setting sun, it was always the last thing she saw before she fell unconscious. Now, it would be the last thing she saw before she died.

"Tell me, what do you plan on doing after you finish this little vendetta of yours?" Her back stiffed. She did not expect that of this cold man.

" I'm going back to December. I will take care of the children like Wolf Wood did." She caught her breath, she could feel the approaching tears and the painful wail within her body, but she did not dare to cry, not like last time. "During my traveling, I met a lot of wonderful people. One of them was a woman who was so blissfully ignorant, that is could be considered repulsive. Not to me…not to me, this woman was just like me in every way. If I hadn't been raised to kill, I would have ended, just as happy and sweet as her. Yes, she had her hard times too, just recently, some one she loved died in the worst way. He died while making his first, and last, confession. Wolf Wood died and you killed him!"

Her third dagger shattered the glass of her beloved window. His grip loosen on his chair. With no weapon left, she was no longer a threat to his life, even if she was in the first place. Her hand was shaking; it was true that her first two daggers were deliberately aimed away from him, but this one had been a sure kill to the head. Her eyes widen in fear as the click of a gun being loaded. She was useless in a fight against a gun. The being in the chair stood up and faced Maria. A spasm of shock took hold of Maria. In a wave of nauseas, she fell to the floor, her back pressed hard to the wall. Although she never met this man, she could clearly hear Vash saying it as hateful as he did the day they met.

"Knives."

She fumbled with the name. Even with all her training to eliminate fear, she could not stop her trembling. The very presence of this man made her ill. Knives looked at her, mocking a sadness that wasn't possible for this vile creature to have.

" You had so much potential, little Maria." He held the gun level to her nose. Slowly she began to work through the mental layers of fear, praying that impulse and instinct would revile themselves to her. Her heart begged to die quickly, her mind yelled for revenge, and whatever remained of her soul, sung the only song she knew.

"Ave Maria…Listen to the maiden's prayer…" Knives looked puzzled as Maria sang the hymn her mother loved so. She opened her eyes in sudden realization that she had time to run. In a moment, she was up. She made a swift kick to his gun and sprinted to the window, not bothering to see in her blow disarmed him.

"I am not going to die like a cage beast! I will fly into the sunset!" She pulled on the cord in her hair that had always kept it in such a tight braid. She stood on the edge, her arm out stretch, embracing the fading day. Her dark eyes shone with true happiness, just like the day she met her brother, when she met Wolf Wood. She leapt to her brother's arms as the bullet followed her to death.

"What a waste of time, humans are." He kicked the body over the edge of the cliff. In Maria's right hand, the cross shone in the sun as she tumbled down the cliff side.

End


End file.
